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routed In © three-block area around the chumbise ioe Three cars parked near the church side entrance were knocked four feet backward ‘by the explosion. Sides of the almost demolished vehicles were dotted with large holes caused by flying debris. ” Inside, the church was in shambles in the rear sec- tion. Force of the blast had twisted chairs, shredded wooden benches and knocked out windows. Windows were knocked out of buildings a block away and occupants of houses said they were knocked off their feet. Police at City Hall at the time said the building seemed te shudder, “WE WERE ALL IN Sunday School classrooms when the bomb went off.” said primary teacher Miss Effie J. McCaw. I told the children in my class ta lie on the floor “The teachers kept the congregation from panicking. We couldn't get to the children in the basement. Every- one walked outside in a hurry. There was no scream- ing. only crying." She said debris came crashing down in the rear of the church and many persons were cut and bruised. About 200 persons were in the church, A huge crater was dug by the blast at the Sixteenth Street entrance to the church, Concrete steps that led tu the srainn Poser oiratm the side doar were blown away, Detecuve Lt. Maurice House said the bomb had been placed in an abandoned stairwell outside the rest- roam. The side doer was locked, he said, and no one sed the stairs leading to the basement level. a Te THE CHURCH PASTOR, the Rev. J. Ho Cross, said he was jolled by the blast Birmingham police had been zuarding the church at nicht, along with other Negro churches where desegrega- tion maeetings had heen held in past months. Te ores as dehy at block gavay fram @ Near mob which was Sambed after the anti- searesation demantra- Usos last May Se one was hurt in this explosion. The same night, the parsanage home of the Rev. A.D. King, brother of the anti-segregation leader, Rev. Martin Lu- ther King. alsa was bombed. with no casualties. Negra attorney Shores’ hume has been bombed twice recently. Two firebonibs were tossed last week at the Some of ALG. Gaston, Bieminghanm Negro oliionanre and bitsi-- nessinan. One of the so-called “'Molotay cocktails,” a casoline-tited bottle with a wick for a fuse, crashed through the windew of the Gaston home and dantaged a drape. The other feth harmlessly on the ground. THE CHURCH EXPLOSION SUNDAY came UU days after Birmingham desegregated three public schaols over the vehement objectinns of the governor and segregation —Wiranieat wits. Five Negra children were enrolled at the three pre- vioushy all white Birmingham schools after the Alahama National Guard was federalized to overcame the gevecr- nor’s resistance. Birmingham e 10 bo gs in recent years. al! Spparcntiy connected with the. racial situation. No one has heen arrested in connection with the bombings. The bombed church was one of the main meeting places chiring mass demonstrations hy Negroes here in May and June Ruy Wilkins. execulive secretary for the NSC R. Cdartic Lorher King and other Neko twodess spoke al radies there.